Cumin seeds and cumin oil vessels archeologists found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. The Romans used cumin in baking bread, and the ancient Hindus - when cooking soap. Useful properties have a lot of cumin, it is used in cooking, folk medicine, cosmetics and food industry. From cumin seeds containing up to eight percent of essential oils, the finished medicinal infusions and decoctions, fragrances and teas.

Cumin: umbrella plant

Cumin (lat. Carum) - one- or two-year plant family Umbelliferae. The Latin name of the plant comes from the Greek word "kara" which means "head": in the form of umbrellas cumin resemble large head. Arabs call cumin is very similar - "Karvia."

Genus of plants has up to thirty species of cumin, of which the most widely caraway. Homeland plants considered central and northern Asia and Europe, still cumin found in the wild. The composition of the plant includes a large amount of fatty and essential oils, flavonoids, coumarin, vitamins Vitamins for everyone , Minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, tannins and other valuable biologically active substances.

Avicenna believed cumin helps with nervousness, inflammation, pain in the gut, paralysis, cough, kidney disease. Tibetan healers still use infusions and decoctions of cumin to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and eyes, as caraway water inhibits the processes of fermentation and putrefaction. This magnificent natural aseptic, disinfector and krovoochistitel.

Modern pharmacology uses essential oils of cumin and other dosage forms obtained from this plant, to increase appetite, increase lactation in feeding babies breast (infusion of caraway seed) as a carminative flatulence in infants (broth or caraway water) as an anticonvulsant and cholagogue. Cumin treat headache Headache   hypertension and gastric ulcer, prostate adenoma and asthma. Caraway tea from the seeds of the plant increases appetite, mood and improves digestion. In disorders of the stomach such a drink is not just treats it calms because caraway water give children from an early age with the bloating and to rinse sore throat.

Contraindications to the use of infusions and decoctions of cumin seeds and roots are pregnancy and idiosyncrasy.

Cumin as a culinary spice

Cumin seeds first imported to England, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. Since then, this spice is added to a variety of dishes, used in baking, to flavor liqueurs and vodkas. In many countries of the world dishes with the addition of cumin received national colors. Bagels, sprinkled with seeds of plants, certainly served to guests in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to a cup of coffee. Sauerkraut with caraway seeds - harvesting the winter favorite among the peoples of the Russian North.

Caraway vodka rareripe nothing else, as a sweet liqueur obtained by distilling vodka with caraway seeds with the addition of syrup. Often in the manufacture of flavored beverage to enhance the odor added to caraway oil and star anise oil. This liquor is prepared in the Baltic States and Germany, Holland and Russia.

Rye bread with caraway seeds - a traditional recipe of bread with a sour taste, characteristic of the Nordic countries. Corned beef, pickled herring, sausage meat with the addition of cumin seeds become refined taste and aroma. Caraway added to boiled potatoes and pickled vegetables, it gives the dish a new color. Cumin is part of the complex spices, oriental spices, along with zira, cumin, ajwain, ayovanoy. To taste the cumin seeds are similar to fennel and dill.

Caraway in cosmetology

Beautiful Nefertiti Queen of Egypt, famous for his ability to keep the beauty of the face and body for many years, used black cumin oil for skin care Skin Care as a habit . Modern scientists have proved that regular use of cumin oil can return youth and elasticity of the skin, improving its elasticity and tone.

Cumin - one of the few plants which are mentioned in the holy books - the Bible and the Koran. This confirms the high value and importance of plants to humans in matters of preservation of health and beauty.

Jeanne Pyatirikova